Local police have confirmed fatalities after an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. According to the Greater Manchester Police, at least 22 people are confirmed dead, and “around 50” are injured.
Police statement on incident at Manchester Arena pic.twitter.com/gaKASukx9a
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) May 22, 2017
According to the Guardian, attendees reported hearing a loud bang near Manchester Arena, where Grande was performing a date on her European tour. Another eyewitness told the BBC the explosion sent victims flying as far as 30 feet. According to a statement from Manchester Arena, the incident took place in a public area outside the arena itself:
— Manchester Arena (@ManchesterArena) May 23, 2017
Grande’s publicist told the New York Times that the singer was unhurt. Police have not yet confirmed the source of the incident, but referred to it as “an explosion.” Reports from attendees referred to the noise as akin to a bomb or gunshots. The video below posted to Twitter shows chaos inside the arena.
https://twitter.com/hannawwh/status/866775833553379328
UPDATE (8:10 p.m.): The latest statement from the Greater Manchester Police confirms 19 people dead and “around 50” injured in an incident described as “an explosion.”
Latest statement on incident at Manchester Arena pic.twitter.com/BEpLOan3dY
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017
UPDATE (9 p.m.): “We are deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy and our hearts and thoughts are with those impacted by this devastating incident,” concert promoter Live Nation said in a statement to Billboard. Separately, Manchester Police carried out a controlled detonation of a package that turned out to be “abandoned clothing, not a suspicious item.”
UPDATE (9:30 p.m.): U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May acknowledged tonight’s events in a statement:
We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack. All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected.
Hip-hop artist BIA (a.k.a. Bianca Landrau), who is on tour with Grande, tweeted condolences:
My heart is broken 😓🙏🏾
— B I A ?? (@PericoPrincess) May 23, 2017
Praying for everyone tonight please gets home safe 🙏🏾😢
— B I A ?? (@PericoPrincess) May 23, 2017
UPDATE (10:23 pm): A video filmed inside the arena after the concert ended appears to show the exact moment of the explosion.
https://twitter.com/elliefreyax/status/866830824561414145
UPDATE (11:21 pm): Ariana Grande has posted a brief statement on Twitter, describing herself as “broken” after the deadly explosion.
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/866849021519966208
UPDATE (8:06 a.m., 5/23): Police believe the attack, the death toll from which now stands at 22, was most likely a suicide attack carried out by one man. A 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the attack, though his alleged role remains unclear. The first victim was also identified as Georgina Callander, an 18-year-old health and social care student at Runshaw College.
UPDATE (12:31 pm, 5/23): Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable Ian Hopkins has identified the attacker as 22-year-old Salman Abedi. CBS News reports that Abedi was known to British authorities before to the attack.
Authorities say they are trying to determine if suspect Salman Abedi was "acting alone or working as part of a wider network." pic.twitter.com/NhcrpxeyOZ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 23, 2017
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
